When Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Dan Bates called them about the citizen of the year award, they thought it was to tell them the winner was the person they had suggested for the honor.
“We were shocked and surprised, because we had nominated somebody,” Jack Whalen said.
“There are just so many people who are doing good things in Hamilton who are deserving,” he said. “I told Karen I think that probably the person of the year should be the small-business person. They have had a tough year.”
Hamilton City Manager Joshua Smith said he is impressed with their involvement in various endeavors when they could have retired comfortably. Instead, they have been involved with the Hamilton Community Foundation and other organizations.
“I think the world of Jack and Karen,” Smith said.
Without the leadership of the Whalens, and also Troy and Kathy Schwable, Smith believes the street levy never would have passed. The Schwables created a citizens’ committee to promote the levy, and when they had to step away, the Whalens took leadership.
The levy committee met almost every two weeks for two years. One thing that helped the levy win were personal letters the Whalens and others wrote to voters urging them to vote yes.
“A lot of people who weren’t even officially involved but just really wanted to see it succeed were so helpful,” Karen Whalen said. “It was refreshing to see how many people were so kind to just say, ‘Well, give me a sign, I’ll call somebody.’”
About the citizens’ committee, Jack says, “I’ve got to applaud them. We planned on having a celebration.”
“The election was postponed, and covid hit, and there just really was no getting together,” Karen Whalen. “We always felt kind of bad that the committee didn’t have that moment where they got to do high fives, and celebrate.”
The Whalens themselves will be celebrated during the chamber’s annual meeting at noon on Jan. 29. “The meeting will be virtual, but the food will be real!” according to a message from the chamber.
For Jack Whalen, who came from Rochester, N.Y., Smith said, “his adopted hometown is his passion.”
“They certainly are a team that has had great influence with a lot of things in Hamilton, and many things that people don’t even know about,” Bates said.
“Jack is a confidant to a lot of decision-makers in Hamilton,” Bates said. “A lot of people respect his opinion.”
“I think they’re great,” Bates said. “They’re involved in a lot of things. They get involved in causes that are not always meaningful to them, but they’re causes that they think are important to the city, and that’s really selfless.”
“A lot of people get involved in things that they’re passionate about, but not everyone gets involved in things that they may not be passionate about, necessarily, but it’s for the greater good of the city, and so therefore they get on board,” Bates added.
Among other things, the Whalens work with the Hamilton Community Foundation, Fort Hamilton Hospital, Greater Miami YMCA, Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, Butler County United Way, Rotary Club of Hamilton, Butler County Historical Society, Centrifuse, Heritage Hall Museum, the Butler County History Collaborative, and The Women’s Fund at the Hamilton Community Foundation.
Karen, who has read 85 books in 2020, also will be joining the board of the Lane Public Library.
Also, “We’ve moved on to our next project,” Jack said.
“Litter,” Karen answered. “We’ve decided to form our own litter task force for Hamilton.”
When they walk through the city, they pick up garbage.
“We’re not sure what we can do,” she said. “But we’re going to think about it and decide if there’s something we can do. I know the city’s always concerned about it, but see if we can get maybe more volunteers, when the weather gets better, to get out and clean up the community.”
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